Every Adventure Had Them in It

There was a time when every adventure had these three beside me.

They were there for the ordinary little outings that somehow became the best days: a quick walk that turned into sunset, a “let’s just get some fresh air” moment that became hours on the beach, a drive with no real plan except to find somewhere beautiful.

We explored parks, forests and beaches all over the Western Cape. We chased waves, walked sandy paths, stopped for coffee with dogs curled up in the car, and found our way through more muddy trails than I can remember.

Later, they came with me to England too.

New shores. New forests. Colder weather. Different skies.

But the feeling was always the same: the four of us, happiest when we were outside, somewhere a little wild, with nowhere important to be.

Dogs have a way of making you notice the world differently.

They do not care whether the beach is famous, whether the walk is impressive, or whether you have remembered to take the perfect photo. They care about the smell of the wind, the first splash into the sea, the stick that is definitely worth carrying home, and the simple joy of being together.

And perhaps that is why those memories stay so close.

It was never really about how far we travelled. It was about the freedom of those days. The muddy paws. The sandy towels. The excited barking when they realised we were heading somewhere good. The way even an ordinary afternoon felt like an adventure because they were part of it.

Looking back at this photo, I can almost hear the waves and feel the saltwater on my skin.

There are some companions who become woven into the story of your life so completely that you cannot remember certain places without remembering them too.

For me, the Western Cape will always hold pieces of them: in the forests, on the mountain paths, and especially along the shoreline.

Always together. Always happiest somewhere near the sea.